HOTAMET, a helmet made from environmentally friendly scallop shells, is garnering attention. This helmet was created in Sarufutsu Village, the northernmost village in Japan, famous for scallop fishing. Development began on the idea of making a helmet from scallop shells to protect the safety of the village's scallop fishermen, and it is a product that is also attracting attention from the perspective of the SDGs.

This time, we will introduce the background and story of how HOTAMET was born.

Scallops are said to be the most exported fishery product in Japan. Sarufutsu Village in Hokkaido is one of the leading producers of scallops, having repeatedly been ranked number one in the country in terms of landed volume. While the village produces delicious scallops, it also has to dispose of a lot of shells, amounting to about 40,000 tons per year in the entire Soya region, including the area surrounding the village. This has long been an issue for the region.

Koshi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. and TBWA HAKUHODO, who were in charge of development based on the problem, focused on the fact that the main component of scallop shells is calcium carbonate. They came up with the idea of reusing them as a material for a new material, and as a result, a new eco-plastic material called "Clastic®︎" was born. "HOTAMET" was developed using "Clastic®︎".

Compared to products made from 100% virgin plastic, it also contributed to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of up to 36%.

HOTAMET has a cute round shape. Its design incorporates a special rib structure that mimics the structure of a scallop shell. The design is not only beautiful, but also succeeds in creating strength with less material. It weighs only about 400g, but is surprisingly 30% stronger than a regular helmet. What's more, the buckle also features a scallop pattern, making the lightweight, durable and stylish HOTAMET suitable for a variety of situations.

There are five color variations: white (coral white), beige (sand cream), black (deep black), blue (ocean blue), and pink (sunset pink). Each color has a name related to the sea. All colors have a simple design with beautiful curves and soft hues. HOTAMET was originally developed for scallop fishermen, but its stylishness and convenience have led to a wide range of uses, from construction sites and bicycles to disaster prevention.

HOTAMET has been selected for the "Co-Design Challenge" program promoted by the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition. In addition, in November 2023, it won the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award/Grand Prix in the design category of the ACC TOKYO CREATIVITY AWARDS.

This product was born out of a problem faced by Sarufutsu Village in Hokkaido, and is likely to continue to attract a lot of attention in the future.

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